MAY 2014
Monologue Our bad. Time management issues. We had to change our plan and switch the content of the publication. Quite a tough decision. We originally wanted to make the modernism issue much more expansive, but we decided to keep it rather simple since we’re still new. We want to try new things and we needed a better perspective.
When we first started the publication we wanted the publication to be unexclusively to graphic art or design only. We want to cover about design and art, and so we decided to mix in some influences other than graphics.
None of us really had the experience or knowledge outside graphic, so we decided to hold the publication a while to learn a bit and relate things back to our main topic.
Well here goes nothing. Enjoy our fifth publication then. “Excuse ME”, a discussion about the Modern Era (again). Hope you could enjoy it as we enjoy making the publication. Keep discussing.
Cover Image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/The_Barcelona_Pavilion,_ Barcelona,_2010.jpg
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EXCUSE ME
We live in a so called ‘modern’ era, is that really true? Back again, it depends. We like to keep our options available. . Now if you would excuse me.
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I
f you look up the word ‘modern’, you would find definitions about how ‘modern’ is simply something opposing
(Article cover page) The Salk Institute by Louis Kahn
to the past. So if modern is something that opposes the past, when is this ‘modern’ era? What was ‘past’? Let’s slow down and find conclusions on this discussions.
Quick Checkup
which radical skeptics also rejects
Modernism is a “philosophical”
the idea of God, therefore opposing
movement that started around
religion.
the 19th and 20th century. The background of this movement
Skepticism also led people to
is from the development of the
think rationally. To believe what
modern industrial societies from the
they can see, touch, measure and
west that felt the things are at that
comprehend. These ideas are the
moment doesn’t fit the new age.
ideas that led art movements at that
They wanted things to change. Art,
time to promote realism, precise
music, literature, culture, paradigm
skilful reality drawing. The age of
from the ‘past’ needs to adapt to
enlightenment made people to
the new world. The people rejected
grow and develop as they start to
the age of enlightenment.
reason things and ‘train’ scientific ways, which later on gives birth
The age of enlightenment is a
to advancement in industry, but,
cultural movement that emphasises
the age of enlightenment also
reason and individualism. The
limits artist on their work, merely
movement encourages people
focusing on things visible and
to use their mind to reason, to
understandable.
learn more about things using
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scientific method as their base. This
These idea was the first that
movement gives birth to skepticism,
separates the ‘past’ era and
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EXCUSE ME
‘modern’ era. Modernism made
entitled Degenerate Art to stir
artists free, able to understand their
public opinion to despise modern
own self-consciousness, resulting
art. They made as if the art was a
in new movements. New styles
form of ridicule towards “real” art.
were developed, new techniques were used, and new media were
There were opinions on how Nazi,
implemented. Artists start to be
or Hitler, hated modern art. One
free from realism, therefore creating
opinion was that at 1920s, German
abstract arts. In the previous
was the birthplace of Expressionism,
publication, the art movements we
one of the modern arts. While at
mentioned are some that broke free
that time Cubism, Dada, Surrealism,
from the ‘past’.
Symbolism, Fauvism and postImpressionism are developing in
Another reason that probably fueled
Europe. German was one of the
the desire to break free from realism
leaders of art at that time, the
was probably the development
time of Weimar government. Nazi
of photography. Photography at
wanted to make the people turn
that time was a ground breaking
towards Nazi, and so they made
technology, as it could capture a
people opinion of Modern art and
realistic image of someone with a
Weimar government bad.
faster period compared to a realism
Degenerate Art Exhibition on 1937
painting.
Degenerate Art & Nazi Back at the first world war, the Nazi refer as modern art as “degenerate art”. Nazi felt the new way of thinking is ‘unGerman’. They had relate the modern art as a product of Jew. Nazi held an exhibition
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One work by Otto Dix, entitled “War Cripple” was featured in the exhibition. Dix himself was a World War I volunteer. The caption on his work was written, “an insult to the German heroes of the Great War”. Why would Dix insult himself then? Well we figured that as a modern artist, Dix must’ve expressed what he felt or thought with his art, but that expression when seen without trying to understand would be perceived in a bad way. But Then again, there were other works that are also categorised insulting for the Germans by Nazi.
Another opinion, one we personally agree on and believe, was that before turning into politics, Hitler was an artist, not a bad one actually. However he was a realist. So his painting must’ve had a hard time since the art establishment was preferring the new modern art, rather than his realists. So when he became a politician and had the power, Degenerate Art was his personal vendetta. His speech about modern art was “works of
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art which cannot be understood in themselves but need some pretentious instruction book to justify their existence will never again find their way to the German people.”
Nazi then also started hunting down modern art practitioners. They are banned of doing their works, such as selling, teaching, exhibiting, distributing or even making them. Many artists then decided to go to the United States, seeking for refuge from Nazi. Many
EXCUSE ME
Modern Design As Modernism is a new way of thinking, not a style, there is definite style that could explain or represent the whole modernism. Art that is not traditional is a modern art. With new mindsets starting to grow, graphic design also started to grow. With the development of new technology at that time, art could be produced easily. In the 19th century, logos are starting to be widely used.
Otto Dix’s “War Cripple”
artist that didn’t escape bacl then are mistreated and many of them perished. Few of them however survived, such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Lucian Bernhard.
Nazi also closed down Bauhaus, an art school in Germany. They said that Bauhaus was a center of communist intellectualism. Although the school was closed, the staffs still spread the spirit of Bauhaus as they emigrate and escape outside of Germany.
The term logotype which now describes a kind or component of logo that is made from type, was originally a unique and specially set typesetting, in which it is created specially because of it’s common and repetitive usage.
Logos at that time, are also influenced by Ludwig
Bass Logo, the first logo to be registered
Mies van der Rohe and Bauhaus. It became somewhat simple and
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EXCUSE ME (opposite) The Farnsworth House was designed and constructed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1945-51.
minimalistic. This is what probably made perception that modern design is minimalistic design, although not entirely is false.
The term ‘modern architecture’ is also rose as architects of the ‘modern’ era started to design buildings with concern and use of the new technologies at that time. A characteristic of modern
year of 2014. Something that is
architecture, that may be applied
called modern today may also be
on other contexts is “form follows
something old and relic later 50 or
function”, a dictum expressed by
100 years ahead. Modernism never
Louis Sullivan.
ends, unless society is trapped and
So the question now remains, what can be
“Form Follows Function” - Louis Sullivan
called a modern
Louis Sullivan
can’t move ahead anymore. As long as people strives for a change
design or art? Modern design is
and adaptation of the current time
a design that utilizes the modern
in art and design, modern design
features in a society, may it be a
will always be there. It may change
paradigm or also a technology. It
form or name, but the spirit, the
cannot be limited by time, as time
philosophical aspect is always there.
always move and things change. What is called modern back in the
Perhaps every change isn’t pleasant
19th and 20th century may not
to everyone, as it is to the Nazis
be something modern now in the
back at their time, and so it will
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minded. For those who want to stay, why would others want to change? is it possible that what you are holding on isn’t relevant and unsuitable for today’s age. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
to someone later. There will be
For those who desires change, does
peoples that support changes, that
the change really necessary and
support the ‘modern era’ while
inevitable? Listen to the concerns of
there are others that are against the
those who don’t want the change.
change.
Would it be nice if these sides that are harmonious create a beautiful
Whatever side you are, it’s always a
diversity? If you can’t listen, well,
good thing to listen and to be open
excuse me.
Article References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24819441 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerate_art http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/387137/modern-art http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography#History_and_evolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus
Image References: http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mcw31aRd3D1qihzsfo1_1280.jpg http://www.thehistoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Degenerate-Artexhibition-1937.jpg http://www.burton-on-trent.org.uk/wp-content/images/Bass/BassLogo.gif http://redingote.fr/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/61926-050-F98DB706.jpg http://img.waggish.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/z1.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Mies_van_der_Rohe_photo_ Farnsworth_House_Plano_USA_5.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Salk_Institute.jpg
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Next Discussion: We’ll keep this page clean this time.
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